MOSCOW: On Friday, it was revealed that a "substantial contribution" promised by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to Ukraine's air defense includes two US-made Patriot launchers, several missiles for them and a commitment to train Was. Several hundred Ukrainians in their use.

Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Olongren wrote to parliament that the move was intended to send a political message to Russia that the government was committed to continuing its support for Ukraine.

He explained that this was done in response to a request by Ukraine's President, Vladimir Zelensky, for assistance in strengthening Kyiv's air defenses against attacks by Russian missiles and drones.

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A total of 400 Ukrainian soldiers in Britain will be trained by 65 Royal Dutch Marines, and the training is expected to last until April.

Typically, a Patriot battery consists of a control station, a ground radar, and eight launchers. According to Olongren, the Dutch military has three active batteries and one in reserve.

The minister said, "We can spare them." “It is vital that we assist Ukraine immediately. You must take whatever action you can because innocent people are being harmed.

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His letter was written three days after Rutte visited Washington and assured US President Joe Biden that the Patriots would make a "substantial contribution" to Kyiv, without providing any specific numbers. Germany and the US have also pledged to send at least two batteries to Ukraine, but the Pentagon estimated it would take "months" to complete.

Russia has repeatedly warned the West that arming Ukraine would worsen the conflict and increase the likelihood of physical conflict. In 2022, according to Moscow's estimates, Kyiv will reportedly receive about $100 billion in military aid from the US and its allies.

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The Patriots, first employed in combat against Iraqi ballistic missiles during the 1991 Gulf War, were developed in the 1980s. In January 2020, when Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a drone attack against the Aramco oil refinery and several military targets, several third-generation Patriot systems kept in Saudi Arabia failed to intercept them.